Return to me
by Fuse
Summary: Set after TMR, I couldn't leave this group of people alone. Ever wondered what Ardeth did after the O'Connells go home? He sulks! Read on to find out why.
1. Chapter 1

**RETURN TO ME.**

A/N: I don't think that there are any fics following this line, I hope. If there are, at least I'm in good company. I wondered what would Ardeth do after Horus was shot in the desert, the guy's gotta have a bird, it's not like there's cell phones around y'know. What I know about birds wont fill a shot glass and my knowledge of the desert and its people is even less than that, so please forgive the glaring errors that are undoubtedly going to crop us in this piece of scribble.

Chapter 1.

The Cairo bazaar was filled with people milling around the stalls. Busy wives and mothers were trying to get the best prices while keeping an eye on the running children. Traders argued loudly about the quality and value of their wares and the shouts of sailors echoed off the docks as they unloaded various cargoes.

Ardeth Bay was trailing behind his American friends, dejectedly wondering if the hawk-master was going to be in his usual spot this time. He had been to the market place for months and still had not found a hawk to replace his beloved Horus. Since the bird had been shot, his heart had emptiness in it, one that seemed much greater than that of a bird. A group of laughing children raced around him and in passing knocked a small statue off a nearby table. Absently he bent down to pick it up and put it back on the table. Waving off the shopkeeper's thanks, he plodded along in his funk, sending a small plea up to the heavens:

May I find that which I am seeking this day.

He failed to notice that the statue he had put down was that of Isis. The figurine's eyes glowed briefly and then it was mere stone again.

Being in Egypt on vacation and not expedition was a novelty for the O'Connells and Evelyn was determined to make the most of it. It had been six months since their last debacle with the undead and they were looking forward to just relaxing. Ardeth had met them and promised to introduce them to his people this time around, something little Alex was particularly looking forward to. Having a new house to furnish, she had wasted no time in hitting the market place, much to the delight of Alex and the horror of her husband. Rick shifted Evie's latest acquisition into a more comfortable carrying hold and glanced backwards at the dark Med-Jai chieftain drifting behind them. He nudged his wife and she followed his line of vision and then looked up at her husband.

"I'm really starting to worry about that man." She said, shaking her head.

"It was a bird. How can a man with almost no emotions love a bird so much?" questioned Rick with a shrug.

"Ooh, you can be such an idiot at times." Snorted Evelyn. "He raised Horus from a hatchling remember. They were always together."

"You're right, every man should have a bird." Smirked Rick. "Even if it is just for carrying the mail."

Evy elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to grab wildly at the parcels he was toting. He knew better than to rile his tiny wife any further, unless he wanted the sofa that night. He was saved from making any more insensitive comments by the arrival of the blonde whirlwind that masqueraded as his son, Alex.

"Hi Mum, hi Dad." He said breathlessly as he ran past them, heading straight for Ardeth. He grabbed the voluminous sleeve of his robe and started dragging the startled Med-Jai down the lane.

"Come on, quick, you have to see, come on."

Ardeth grinned slightly as he allowed himself to be pulled past the boy's puzzled parents and then picked up the pace as Alex pulled him along with everything that he had. The boy dragged him to the end of the aisle and across two more before coming to an abrupt halt before a tent that he had never seen there before. It was large and airy and covered with birdcages, each containing a feathered occupant.

His heart jumped and then stood still as his heard the distinct call of the desert hawk. Alex had already darted inside and was impatiently calling to him. He ducked his head and stepped out of the blinding sun into the cool shade of the canvas shelter. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust and then he saw Alex standing in a corner with an aged Arab woman. She inclined her head in a gentle nod and he came closer to see what they were looking at. Alex held up the cage excitedly and the words spilled from him.

"This is what you're looking for right. This kind of bird, except this is a girl and I don't know if you want a girl bird. But she's really pretty and I bet she flies really good."

Ardeth looked into the jostling cage and saw a hawk on the bottom, desperately trying to maintain balance while in the grip of an excited Alex. He smiled and took the cage from him, placing is on the carpeted floor of the tent. Sinking to his haunches besides the cage, he studied the bird intently. Once set down, it had immediately stilled and was looking up at him, opening and closing its beak repeatedly. It was the same age as Horus and had all the outward signs of good health. The plumage was a rather unusual colour, sandy beige and cream. The talons were sharp and her hooked beak bright and clean. He made a clicking sound and the bird hopped up onto the perch, coming closer to him. He could see that it was already wearing jesses, a sign that it was already trained. He could now see the eyes clearly and he was intrigued, a deep golden colour flecked with copper. Those eyes stared fearlessly back into his, capturing his interest. Without meaning to, he tuned out the surrounding noises and found himself in a staring match with the bird.

"Well?"

The impatient voice brought Ardeth back to reality and he looked up at Alex who was demanding an answer. He rose to his feet, smiled briefly at Alex and then paid full attention to the old trader. She smiled apologetically at him and said in a soft tone:

"My lord, I am most sorry to tell you, but this bird is not for sale. She is trained but wild and will not take a master. She bites all that try to tame her and will not return to them."

"Then how is that she came to be in your cage?"

"I found her with a broken wing. Her master must have abandoned her because her jesses were still on and her hood was next to her. The glove was lying a few steps away. I hoped to heal her and sell her, however, none will have her."

"Sounds more to me that she will have none." He said with a grin.

"Would my lord like to hold her?" she asked, turning to a wooden box and taking out a heavy leather glove.

"I thought you said that she was not for sale, why look at something that you cannot have?" asked Ardeth, not wanting to be baited.

"I did not say that you could not have her, just that she is not for sale. I will not sell that which will pick it's own master. If she comes to you, then you must take her."

Ardeth lifted a brow at the explanation and took the proffered gauntlet. He put it on and flexed his hand, getting the stiffness out of the leather. When he was comfortable, he turned to the cage where the hawk was still watching him. He hunkered down again and opened the cage door. Whispering to the bird in Arabic, he reached in with a leather cover hand. It turned its back on him, ignoring even the clicks that had intrigued it earlier.

"If that's what happens to girls when you turn on the charm, no wonder you're not married yet." Snorted Rick, having caught up with the pair.

"Honestly Rick." Evelyn tried to jab him in the ribs again but he dodged with the ease of experience.

Ardeth wasn't paying attention to their verbal sparring. He was more interested in the reactions of the hawk. As soon as they had spoken, she had turned her attention to them, almost leaning closer. He spoke again, this time in English.

"Are you going to come to me golden eyes?"

The hawk's head snapped around and the rest of the body followed. She took a tentative step closer to the outstretched hand. Alex noticed this and exclaimed loudly.

"She's English!"

Evelyn and Rick shared a glance and then burst into laughter. She reached out and stoked her son's head fondly.

"Honey, birds aren't multilingual. They don't speak different languages."

"Never the less, she seems to prefer English." Said Ardeth, rising to his feet, the hawk now balanced on his wrist.

Rick reached out to touch the bird and was rewarded by a sharp nip. He shrank back, mumbling swear words around the finger that he had jammed in his mouth.

"Serve you right you know." Chided Evelyn gently. "You should know never to touch another man's bird."

"At least not without permission." Added Alex.

Ardeth gently stroked the bird's chest and hummed a soothing tune. The hawk shifted and made a few small sounds, bending her beak to his finger but not biting. He stoked her head and spoke softly in Arabic, which quickly turned to loud cursing as she whipped her head up and latched onto his fingers.

He pulled sharply on the jesses, causing the bird to loose balance and let go of his fingers in order to regain her perch. Opening her wings for balance, she fought to lift up but he held firm. After several aborted takeoffs, she realized that there was nowhere to go and when she landed again, she folded her wings and sat quietly, until he brought his bare fingers up to her chest, where she tried to strike again. He had been anticipating this and grabbed the head and held firm, despite the wings flapping around his face. After a short battle of wills, she eventually quieted and sat still, accepting his firm strokes down her back.

"So," he whispered in English. "We have established who is master here."

Alex gave Rick a puzzled look and his father just shrugged, not understanding the bond that the Med-jai had with any animal. Evelyn was just watching with rapt attention.

He bent down and put the bird back in the cage and then handed the whole thing to the old woman, saying:

"There is no use keeping that which does not wish to stay with you."

She followed him to the outside of the tent where he bent to the bird and told her:

"Return to me."

He stepped into the rambling crowds where the old woman quickly lost sight of him. After waiting a few more moments, she opened up the cage and the bird exploded out in a flurry of wings and shrill cries. The hawk took the sky and was soon a speck against the vivid blue.

Ardeth was waiting in the shade of a balcony when the hawk flew up and landed on a barrel next to him. She peeped at him and he turned a stern gaze on it. Holding out his leather-covered wrist he spoke firmly.

"Return to me." Placing emphasis on the word, me.

She cocked her head at him and then hopped up onto his arm. He wrapped his fingers around the trailing jesses and began to walk back through the crowds towards the bird keepers tent. Upon his arrival the shopkeeper held the cage open, but the hawk spread it's wings and refused to go back to the tiny prison. Ardeth attempted to hold her wings down and was rewarded by another bite and a scratch on the cheek as she wrestled loose and perched on the edge of the tent. Looking down, the bird shrieked at him and flapped her wings in agitation.

Frowning, the warrior wiped the blood off his cheek and held out his wrist.

"Return to me." He commanded.

She ignored him and preened under her wing, smoothing the tiny feathers back into place. He spoke again.

"Return to me."

She turned her back on him and continued her preening. By this time, Rick couldn't keep his amusement silent any longer. This was the man who commanded thousands of men from the twelve tribes. Who had kept watch over the City of the Dead and the evil buried within it. Who had faced the evil when it had arisen, twice! Who had slaughtered hundreds of Anubis warriors and faced thousands more with a single blade. The man who couldn't get a bird to listen to him. He burst into loud chuckles and patted Ardeth on the shoulder.

"Guess you're not meant to make it with the ladies huh buddy?"

Ardeth shot his friend a grin and then looked back at the hawk that had turned back to them but had her beak buried in her chest with her eyes closed. Ardeth picked up the cage and crushed it in his powerful hands. The bird's eyes opened and watched with interest as he threw it away. He held out his wrist again and commanded:

"Return to me."

She stared at him for a long while and then suddenly took flight and circled once before alighting on his wrist, bending her head and allowing him to pet her. He chuckled and spoke to her:

"So little one, we have an agreement then."

He thanked the old shopkeeper and paid her for the cage that he had destroyed and then joined the O'Connells who were waiting for him. Evelyn looked at the bird and said:

"She's beautiful. What are you going to call her?"

"I will know her name when I hear it." He replied, enigmatic as always.

"Come on Mum." Called Alex, his youthful attention span captured by something else. She patted Ardeth's arm and hurried after her son before he could vanish from sight. Rick took her place and grinned at his friend.

"She's gonna bite you again."

"I have the same thought. It seems that I have managed to find myself a willful companion this time around."

"Look at this way, at least she's just a bird and not your wife."

The two men laughed at the remark and were soon swallowed by the milling crowds. Far behind them, in the bird seller's tent, the old woman heard the comments and smiled. Her features blurred in a golden glow and were soon replaced by youth and beauty. She looked after the dark chieftain and spoke softly:

"Be very careful what you ask for my lord, you might just be given it."

The narrow lane where the tent stood was suddenly engulfed in a brief cloud of sand swept in from the nearby desert and when it settled, the tent and the woman had vanished.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Yes, this was conspicuously absent in the first chapter I know. It got ahead of me and went wandering in the desert. Hopefully no one has started a lynching squad of lawyers because I'm not in the mood to out run a screaming mob. So, the characters and story of the Mummy and the Mummy Returns do not belong to me and I am using them without permission and I am not making a single penny out of this lot. Okay? Mob of lawyers satisfied? Well tough if y'aint. Let's get on with it.

A/N: Thanks for the response guys – it gives off the warm fuzzies. I hope that the rest of this will pass muster, hopefully you guys will steer me right. Romance is beyond me but my husband always said I could write anything. He died last month so this is a real leap of faith.

Chapter two

The O'Connell house was on the outskirts of Cairo and close to the thick walls that surrounded the city. It was built in the solid Egyptian fashion and trimmed with all the refinements of the European settlers. All in all, a comfortable mishmash of cultures and textures.

Evelyn stood alone in the master bedroom, folding her new linen into the chest at the end of the bed. She and Rick had argued about the wisdom of coming back to Egypt and surprisingly it had been she that was reluctant to return. She had told him that every time she was there, trouble followed them, putting all of them in danger. He had countered her argument by telling her that Egypt was still in her blood and was never going to leave, she had to face her misgivings. She shook her head at the strange but true wisdom her husband often pulled from no where. Through the open windows, she could hear Alex and Jonathan shouting as they played some obscure game involving a ball and a pair of socks. Smiling to herself, she smoothed out a wrinkle and closed the lid with a satisfied sigh. She was about to turn around when she felt a breath of warm air against the back of her neck, moving up towards and large hands settled on her shoulders. Making a small hum of pleasure in the back of her throat she leaned back into the broad chest behind her and closed her eyes as tender fingers moved strands of dark hair away from her ear, she shivered as the breath moved closer. Dimly she heard a deep whisper:

"Anuk su na mun."

Shrieking she turned around to find her husband trying to shield himself from her already outstretched hands. Making loud sounds of indignation, she smacked every available part of him until she was laughing. By that time, she had slowed down and Rick was able to catch hold of her hands and pull her up against his chest and tilt her head to him.

"What did you think, that the freak had come back again?" he murmured against her lips.

"That" she replied. "Or that I had married a completely insensitive oaf that likes to tease his wife."

"Hmm, you're right about one thing." he nodded, letting the motions peck against her mouth.

"What, insensitive oaf?"

"Nope. You right about his wife, he likes to tease his wife."

"Ah," she said breathlessly. "What else does he like to do to his wife?"

"This."

He bent his head to hers and captured her lips with all the feelings that he had for her. Lost in themselves, neither of them heard Jonathan pounding up the stairs to the room until his indignant voice came from the doorway.

"Ugh, get a room."

Without breaking contact, Rick lifted up a foot and kicked the door closed behind him. Just as it closed in his face, Jonathan heard his sister's voice say:

"We're in it."

He turned away and managed to grab hold of Alex just before he opened the door. Turning him around, the uncle herded his charge back the way he had come, saying:

"Not at the moment young Alex. I'm afraid your parents are um, occupied."

"Again?" came the incredulous reply.

"Fraid so. We'll just have to amuse ourselves in the meantime."

"We seem to be doing that a lot lately." He complained.

The pair tramped downstairs again where they amused themselves by climbing up onto the city's walls and throwing unripe dates at the patrols passing by.

Ardeth had set off home that very afternoon and as the setting sun was painting red streaks through the shifting sands, he was dismounting at the oasis that marked the halfway point between the city and his camp. His camp was the second closest to the city, the nearer being the main camp of the fourth tribe, who were largely responsible for trading with the city for animal feed and the few other items that the desert did not provide. Despite being close, it still meant nearly two days of steady riding to reach it.

After taking off the saddle and letting his horse drink from the sparkling pool, he settled under one of the trees with a meal of cold meat and bread. His mind drifted back to what Rick had said to Evelyn in the market and he shook his head. There were some that could not grasp the bonds that men made with animals, especially those that they had raised. He had introduced Horus as his best and most clever friend. He had not being lying to them, on the long trips he made between the camps, his only company had been Horus. As they had traveled, he had developed the habit to speak his thoughts to the hawk, getting a new perspective on things. In return, Horus had listened with the single-minded attention that his kind possessed. It was a strange relationship to be sure, but it had worked.

He wondered if he would be able to find the same kind of bond with the new hawk, especially since he had not trained her himself. But out of all the people that tried to take her, she had chosen to go with him. She even obeyed him, after a fashion. He shook his head and wondered what his people would think if they found out that a bird had defied his will. As chieftain of all twelve tribes, his orders were never questioned. Although his habit of listening to all voices and suggestions before he gave orders had something to do with that.

Thinking about the bird caused him to look up and try to spot her. During the trip to the oasis, she had been flying frequently ahead and returning to him. He let her fly, hoping that she would get the lay of the land. He finally spotted her wheeling in the sky directly above him. He whistled loudly and she dropped down a few feet. Suddenly she folded her wings against her body and dropped like a rock, straight towards him.

He jumped to his feet, not sure if she was about to attack him or if she had been injured.

With a fierce cry, the bird streaked towards the ground but at the last moment, she opened her wings and struck at the ground between his feet. Lifting up and striking again, she rose to land on his wrist with a wriggling scorpion in her cruel beak. She regained a steady footing and proceeded to eat the offensive little creature, ignoring the clicking sounds that Ardeth made.

He watched her devour the scorpion and when she had finished, she groomed her wings and wiped her beak on the glove. He stroked her and looked down to where she had grabbed the lethal insect. Lifting her to eye level, he spoke to her.

"So you have already proven yourself my protector hmm? Or was that just your dinner. Either way, my thanks little one."

She met his gaze with an unblinking stare. He was once again fascinated with the deep gold of her eyes. Smiling, he stroked her once more and then said:

"Come, night falls and we have an early start. Time to rest."

He went to his bedroll and lifted the hawk so she could take a perch in the tree branches above him. Getting comfortable, he looked up and saw that the bird was already asleep. Closing his eyes, he soon followed suit.

Back in Cairo.

Evelyn and Rick were in their bed, her back to his chest. He was stroking her arm softly up and down.

"Are you sure that you're okay with being back here. I mean, if you want we can pack it all up and go back home tomorrow."

"No, I'm fine." She smiled up at him. "I was just afraid that history would repeat itself but I know that can't happen – not this time."

"You still up to going out into the desert with Ardeth next week."

"Oh yes. He said that there's something of great interest that he would like to show us and besides, Alex would never let us get away with not going."

"Hmm, guess you're right. As long as you're fine with it. But no touching any books okay?" he said slyly.

"Ooh, you…" she trailed off as her husband used his favorite tactic to silence her - his lips.

On the other side of the city, at the Royal Sanitarium for the Disturbed the moonlight flooded into the open windows of a second story room. It spilled across the tiled floor, crept up the walls and washed across the single bed and its occupant. Her chest rose and fell with the steady rhythm of those that sleep but her eyes were open, staring up at the ceiling. She didn't see the white plaster in front of her but rather the silvered sands of the open desert and a pool of water, glittering in the cold light of the moon.

The following morning, Ardeth had risen with the sun and found himself eager to be with his people, especially his family. He had started at a respectable trot but soon found himself urging his horse to greater speeds. The large platter-like hooves threw up showers of sand as he pounded through the desert. Soon he was within sight of his home and he knew that the watch would have seen him coming. Glancing up, he called his hawk back to him, not wanting them to mistake it for a wild bird. She landed and clicked at him, as if chiding him for the bumpy ride that had forced her to take to the sky. Grinning, he urged the horse into motion and was soon home.

Shima was drawing water when she heard the clatter of hooves on the stone path the led up to their camp. Looking up she saw Ardeth charging in as if all the devils of Anubis were on his heels. But no hearing any cries for alarm, she assumed correctly that her big brother was just glad to be back home with those that loved him. He drew up to the pasture where they kept the horses and was soon brushing his mount. She took the water to the tent that she shared with her husband and four children and met him at the fence. He was just finishing with the brush and was thanking his stallion for a good ride. She watched and felt the love that she had for him grow inside her chest. She loved him as her brother, as her chief and as a human being. He was one of the most fearsome warriors that she had ever known and yet he was as gentle as a lamb when it came to all children and his animals. Growing impatient, she sneaked up behind him, hoping to catch him unawares all the time knowing that it was an impossible task.

Ardeth rested his head on Abdi's neck and then turned around just in time to catch hold of Shima as she launched herself into his arms.

"I take it you missed me then sister?" he asked dryly.

"I did." She said, clutching him to her as she remembered the things she had seen in her dreams that previous night.

"Hey, what's this?" he asked as she tightened her grip on him. Loosening himself, he tilted her head so that he could look into her eyes. "What is wrong?"

"I had a terrible dream about you last night. I dreamed that you would not come home. I dreamed that something had swallowed you, something that you could not fight."

Drawing her closer, Ardeth hugged his sister reassuringly. Of the three children that made up his siblings, Shima had always been the one that knew when one of the others was in trouble. He looked down at her again and said:

"I am fine and I am home. There is nothing for you to fear, alright?"

"All right." She nodded, her dark mood passing like a cloud in front of the sun.

They started walking back to the tents when a group of children burst from a nearby bush and assailed him with loud cries of:

"Uncle!"

"Uncle Ardeth's back!"

"Look what I have!"

"Wait for me!"

Laughing, he bent down and paid attention to each of Shima's children. They hugged him, showed him their latest treasure of dry beetle shells and plagued him with questions about the city. Eventually Shima took them in hand and shooed them towards the tents with instructions for dinner. She hooked her arm in her brother's and continued walking. As they passed, families shouted greetings and he took the time to speak to all of them.

This is what makes him loved. Thought Shima as she watched him offer tactical advice to a boy that had 'attacked' him with a stick. Not just being a great warrior, but a greater man.

They eventually reached his tent where she was about to take her leave of him when she noticed a movement on Horus' perch. Looking around Ardeth's shoulders, she saw the new bird, preening in the sun.

"Ah, my new friend." He said, holding his wrist up to the perch.

The hawk settled on his wrist and watched warily as he brought her close to Shima, who knew better then to reach out to a bird of prey. He lowered his head and whispered to the bird.

"My sister, little one. Will you greet her?"

The bird opened her wings and then bowed her head, allowing Shima to touch her head. After a moment, she opened her wings again and lifted off into the sky. Shima watched her soar and then turned to her brother, worry etched into her eyes.

"Let her loose Ardeth. She is not for you."

"What are you talking about, she chose me."

He recounted the story how he had gotten the hawk and at the end, Shima looked up again and then spoke, frowning.

"Be careful brother, there is something very strange at work here. Golden Eyes up there carries a heartache that runs soul deep. Be careful that she does not pass it on to you."

Ardeth didn't find it strange that his sister could attach a human emotion to an animal, she had been doing it all her life. He took his Shima's shoulders and looked into her eyes. He spoke earnestly to her.

"I already have the same heartache since I lost Horus, perhaps we came together to share the pain so that it may be lessened. A sorrow shared is a sorrow halved."

"Besides," he continued, smiling slyly. "Who was is that urged me to find a new friend?"

She nodded, recognizing her own words and advice to him. She grinned up at him and teased:

"I meant a woman, you dolt. Look at you, skin and bone! Is there no food in the city or can your foreign friends not feed you properly? Every time you return you are thinner than before!"

"Ah Shima, you know that I starve myself so that I may enjoy your wonderful goat soup when I return. Is there a chance that you will be making some soon?"

He put his hand over his heart and looked hopefully at her. Laughing she swatted at him and said:

"Of course, you know that you always eat with us when you return. Speaking of which, I should get back and tend the fire."

She greeted him and hurried off to her tent to prepare the evening meal, her misgivings and dark thoughts gone from her mind.

Later that night, after Shima had plied him with as much soup as he could handle, he sat cross-legged on the cushions with his brother in law, enjoying a small cup of dark sweet coffee. Shima and the children had long ago retired for the night, leaving the men to discuss the things that men discussed. They spoke of the water levels in the well, the horses that were breeding and the rest of the news in camp. Eventually he stood and took his leave, making his way to his own tent. Surefooted in the dark, he needed no lamp. He had already put his weapons away when he arrived and needed only to remove his outer robes and tunic. He could hear the hawk making agitated noises in the dark, on the indoor perch. Crossing over to her, he stroked her chest, feeling the rapidly beating heart.

"What has flustered you so Golden Eyes?"

When he had heard the name his sister used on the bird, he knew that was what he would be calling her. Like he had explained to Rick, he would know her name when he heard it.

The bird continued to flap and make noises and would not be calmed, so Ardeth picked up the hood that the old woman had given him along with the glove. Deftly he caught her head in between his fingers and quickly slipped the hood on. The utter silence and darkness caused the bird to go quiet and still. He stroked her once more and then crossed back to the raised pallet that served as his bed. He knelt down and started to crawl in, only to back up rapidly, swearing.

A lamp flared into being and he could see the hand that held it. He looked higher and met the eyes of Kirma, a young widow who had her eyes on him since before her husband had died. She set the lamp down and stood up on his bed, peering at him from under hooded eyes.

"Good evening my lord. Did you have a good trip?"

"Kirma, what are you doing here?"

"I would have thought that was obvious." She sniffed, seeing that this was not to be an easy conquest. "I was welcoming you home."

Stepping lightly out of the bed and off the pallet. Making her way to him, she attempted to wrap her arms around him but stopped when he took hold of her wrists, firmly. He raised an eyebrow and spoke quietly.

"You dishonor the memory of Rashid. Go back to your tent quietly and I will not tell your family of your inappropriate behavior here tonight."

She pouted and stamped her foot, knowing that if she pressed the issue, he would call her family to come and take her home. Such a thing could not happen, she would be disgraced and banished from the community. Wrenching her wrists loose she snatched up her cloak and slipped silently out the back of the tent and melted into the darkness.

With a weary sigh Ardeth blew out the lamp and climbed into his bed, sleep claiming him almost instantly.

He jerked awake, bathed in sweat. Opening his eyes, he was puzzled when he couldn't see anything. Groping around for the lamp, he tried to light it but the matches would not even strike. He lay still and tried to understand what was happening to him. As he lay he became aware of a small sound which he identified as sobbing. He called out:

"Who is there?"

The sobbing continued and he strained to hear from which direction it was coming from. Rising to his feet and moving cautiously towards the sound, he called again:

"Who is there? Are you hurt?"

The crying was punctuated by wordless sounds of terror. As much as he disliked the sounds he used them as a beacon and moved steadily towards them, reaching out into the darkness as he went. After a while he realized that he should have found the wall of his tent by now and he spoke once more.

"Where are you? What is happening here?"

The sobbing was getting closer and he whispered:

"Where are you?"

He knelt down and reached into the blackness, using his ears as a guide and was rewarded when he felt a human foot. The owner jerked back and then kicked out, knocking away his hands, followed by a terrified shriek, in English.

"Don't touch me!"

He sat back on his heels, stunned. Although he could not see and was not sure where he was, his ears were telling him that there was a British woman within arms length of him. Before he could act, her terrified whispers floated out of the darkness.

"Please let me go. Untie me and let me go. I haven't done anything to you."

Silently blessing his mother who had taught him English, he spoke gently.

"I do not understand. I have not harmed you, I don't even know you."

"Then why have you done this to me?" she sobbed.

"I have done nothing. I awoke to find the world black and without form. Then I found you."

"You lie!" she said vehemently. "I cannot see because of the blindfold. You are toying with me!"

"I am not toying with you." He assured her. "Nor do I wish to harm you. Reach out your hands and I will find them."

Silence met his request and then a faint rustle alerted him to her movements. Slowly he reached into the darkness and encountered a trailing rope. Following the rope, it soon led him to a pair of quivering hands, tightly bound. Before he could do anything further, he felt a powerful force pull him backwards and as he sat up, he found himself in his bed with sunlight streaming in the door of his tent.

"It was a dream." He said aloud.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Note to self, do not be writing Fanfic when you're tired. At the beginning of this chapter, I had Ardeth wiping his face with a damp sloth. Not that it wasn't funny, but animal rights groups would have had my hide.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter Three

Shima scratched at the walls of the tent, the closest that they could get to knocking. She waited until her brother murmured an invitation to enter. Stepping through the flap, she found Ardeth sitting on a cushion with a basin of water between his feet. He wiped at his face with a damp cloth, chasing white trails of soap on his neck. She spotted a small red smear on the cloth and raised her eyes at him.

"Could you not wait for me to shave you, that you must try and cut your own throat?"

He grinned and tossed the towel down. Fingering the nick, he shrugged and said:

"I was already awake and thought that I would spare you the trouble. Did you have a good night or did you have more bad dreams?"

"No, there were no dreams. You were right, I was just worried about you."

He rose lightly to his feet and picked up his shaving things. Shima took the basin from him and stepped outside to throw the water into the communal reservoir that they used to water their small vegetable garden. Ardeth was already out the tent and halfway to the practice ring by the time she had put the basin back. Shaking her head, she looked around the tent to make sure there was nothing that he needed. As always, his spacious tent was neat and showed no sign that anyone lived in there.

Ardeth blinked in the bright sun as he walked to the flat piece of ground that they had fenced off as a place where the boys of the tribe could practice their sword play and hand to hand skills. He had not participated in lessons for a long while and sought to remedy that. At this time in the morning, it was those boys under ten summers that were busy. He wasn't even at the fence when the boys were shouting to him. He held his hands out for silence and soon had their undivided attention.

Taking off his outer robes and hanging them on a nearby fence post, he climbed into the ring and picked up one of the sticks that they used as a practice tool. Taking a few swings to limber up, he asked the group:

"How does one avoid having his head taken off from behind?"

"You duck!" called one boy.

"And then stand up into the path of the blade as it returns?"

The boy frowned and then smiled as he solved the puzzle.

"You duck and roll away. Then come up and face him."

"Right. But if there are many enemies, you could be rolling into trouble. How about if you take him down when you are down."

"How do you do that?"

"By stabbing backward when you are crouched down."

His words brought forth a veritable chorus of Ah's.

Using the fence post as a convenient enemy, he translated his words into actions. Having captured their interest, Ardeth set about putting them into various scenarios where they could practice the new technique that he had spoken about. The boys were pretty evenly matched against each other and were soon stabbing and slashing away at each other with the practice sticks. He moved among the groups, correcting stances, adjusting the grip of small sweaty hands on the sticks and generally offering advice to all. He was constantly calling them to pay attention to the people around them as well as to the one in front of them.

"An enemy will not wait for you to kill his comrade before attacking you." He admonished, watching as one group of five successfully took out several pairs from behind.

But the intrepid young warriors soon found out that initiative had it's own problems and they were soon fending off their friends in a mock battle. Ardeth watched as the balance of power shifted back and forth between the two sides and noted that if everyone managed to keep their wits about them, the battle would go on for quite a while. But he also knew that he was dealing with impetuous boys so slyly, he hefted his own stick and waited for an opportunity, which presented itself in few moments. The leader of the defending boys 'killed' another enemy and raised his hands in delighted triumph, only to have his head 'taken' off by his tutor.

Groaning in disappointment and embarrassment, he turned and faced his stern faced teacher. Using the stick as a pointer, Ardeth spoke gravely.

"Posing for glory in the middle of a battle will bring you nothing but a quick death."

"But you cannot be on their side, it would be unfair." Sulked the little boy.

"I am on my own side. Remember, your enemy has foes other than yourself, and they may make an appearance when you least expect it."

"What happens then?"

"You find that you have twice the problem that you started with." He answered dryly.

"But why can't us and them fight together?" asked a boy from the other side.

"Aha, wisdom in the world of war." Beamed Ardeth. "You are right, if you can convince them to fight with you. There was a famous Westerner that once said:

The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

The boys whispered amongst themselves as they digested this bit of heavy philosophy. A hurried conversation took place between the two sides and they decided in the instinct of survival, they would unite against the common enemy – Ardeth.

The tall chief suddenly found himself being stalked from all directions by determined youngsters. Putting his back to the fence, he lifted his stick and grinned wolfishly at them. The boys charged – and lost the war.

He allowed them to believe that they had the upper hand for a while, not wanting to hurt their feelings, but soon showed them that they had very far to go before any of them would be able to take him on. One by one, they fell prey to his stick until he was left standing with a bunch of boys at his feet, panting and red faced.

Going down on one knee, he imparted the lessons last bit of wisdom.

"All of you should learn to pick your fights. Remember, live today, fight tomorrow. Now, why don't you go ask Hasar and Jamir if they wont take you down to the oasis for a swim?"

With excited shouts, the boys exploded to their feet and were soon lost in a cloud of dust as they went to rope in the two unsuspecting warriors. He moved leisurely over to the fence where he shrugged into his clothes. After he had climbed out, he looked back.

Looking at the sand that was stippled with footprints and dents where the boys had fallen, Ardeth suddenly felt old.

Alex wrinkled his nose as he perused the dusty book his tutor had given him. Already proficient in reading Egyptian and speaking it, he had assumed that Arabic would be no trouble. He was both right and wrong. Speaking it was relatively easy but the reading of the language passed him by completely. Glancing round to see where Abdul was, he was relieved to see that the wrinkled old man was still resting in the shade and not hovering over his shoulder.

"To think that I asked for this." He muttered, frowning ferociously at the tiny printed lines.

With Alex at lessons and Jonathan at the local bar, Evelyn had taken advantage of the quiet to open up the gun cabinet and clean the weapons that they had brought with them. She had been only mildly surprised when her son had asked her to find him someone to teach him the local language. He had always been thirsty for knowledge, although she suspected there was another motive for his request. Since they had arrived in Egypt and Ardeth had promised a visit to his people, Alex had been vibrating with excitement. He had read every single scrap he could find on the elusive Medjai people, although there wasn't that much.

When he had complained about this, she had replied:

"Just think, if they were splashed all over the history books, it would mean that they hadn't managed to do their job very well."

"Do the British papers count as history books?" he had asked, referring to the odd headlines that had been printed soon after the British Museum had been vandalized by 'creatures that ran on the walls' according to one eyewitness.

There had been a few awkward moments when they had arrived back home and Rick had been forced to chase the press off of their lawn by gunpoint, although she had caught the distinct impression that he had being enjoying himself. The press weren't enjoying themselves, especially after she had joined in the chase with the Thompson.

Thinking of the Thompson machine gun, brought to mind the Med-Jai commander, whose preference for the weapon had saved her life on more than one occasion. That train of thought led her to remember how her husband had also saved her life on numerous occasions and that's how the said husband found her: standing in front of the cabinet with a partially disassembled pistol in her hands and a silly smile on her face.

Rick's heart thumped as he approached his diminutive wife and saw that smile. No matter what horrors he had faced, his heart never failed to skip a beat when she smiled, especially when she directed it at him.

"Honey, I'm home." He called.

Her eyes focused on him and her smile widened, making him think that he was going to die right there from lack of air since he had obviously forgotten to breathe. Snapping the gun together, she placed it back in the cabinet and locked the doors. Crossing over to him, she entwined her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck. His arms had already wrapped themselves around her as soon as she had come into reach. They stood like that for a long while, not needing to say anything.

Ardeth slowed the horse to a trot as he came within sight of the campsite. He had ridden out late in the morning to go and see his aunt, who was living in a nearby camp of the Seventh Tribe. She was by far the eldest of his family, although there were whispers that she might just outlive them all since she was still so vibrant and energetic. Regrettably, she had outlived her husband and her son. Both had been killed when the camp had been attacked by Bedouin raiders. She had been most influential in his upbringing since his mother had died giving birth to Shima. There had never been a time when he had not ridden to see her after he had returned from the city. He had also ridden this way to show Golden Eyes where the camp was. He had left her with his second in command with instructions to let her loose three hours after he had left. If her training was solid, she would be able to obey the command to find him, thus ensuring that she would know the way to the other camp.

He rode up to the shaded rocks where other horses were tethered and wrapped Abdi's reigns around a post. He made sure that there was water for the animal to drink and then he went directly to Hamila's tent. Be fore he could scratch at the flap, he was amused to hear her raspy voice call out:

"Well, are you going to stand there all day? You're late."

Entering the tent, he approached the chair where his aunt was winding wool around a wooden plank. She put the plank down into her lap and held out her arms for the hug that he always bestowed on her. He hugged her carefully, mindful of her brittle bones. Before she could feel for the wool, he handed it to her and then with a discontented sound threw himself down into the pile of cushions that were near the chair, cushions that she always had ready for him. Running his hand through his hair, he closed his eyes and tried to soak up the serenity that always seemed to surround the old woman.

Hamila had long ago lost her sight, but she didn't need her eyes to know that her nephew was troubled. He had gone to the cushions before getting a drink of water or asking her if there was anything that she needed, such was not his way.  
Patiently she wound the wool, knowing that he would eventually speak his mind to her. After a while, she could feel him toying with the wool and said:

"Did you just come here to tangle my wool or is there something else that I can help you with?"

Ardeth smiled at the gruff tone, knowing that it was a total farce. Hamila had always been a bit testy but had a heart of gold. Rolling onto his back, he laced his fingers behind his head and looked at nothing in particular.

"You are restless." she guessed. "And want something that you cannot name."

"Close." He answered, stunned once more by her insight. "But it is more the weight of years that I feel today."

"Years?" she cackled. "You have had thirty-two summers, what weight can they be? Wait until you've walked the earth as long as I have."

"They have been filled with bloodshed and conflict which makes them feel twice as long." He confessed.

"Filled? Are you constantly at war then that you feel your years are full of conflict?"

"No. But there is a feeling that there should be more to this."

"Like I said before, you are seeking that which you cannot name. I thought I had the old ears."

He chuckled at the tender insult and asked the inevitable question already knowing what the answer would be.

"What is it that I am seeking?"

Hamila snorted and said:

"How should I know, you are the one with a restless soul. But I would wager that there is a part of you that wants more in his bed at night than just a dagger and his duty."

Ardeth groaned at his aunt's frankness and was glad that she could not see the flush that stained his cheeks. He knew deep down that he wanted a wife, someone to be there for him in all things, to share the joys and sorrows that life brings. He also knew that she was right when she said he took his duty to his bed. Despite being able to pick any woman that he wanted from any tribe, he was unwilling to take someone and force her to wait at home while he was away for weeks at a time, force her to wait and see if he came home unharmed or even if he came home at all. That was no way to love a woman or to raise children. He had seen what it had done to his mother and he had vowed that he would never be the cause of a woman wasting away in front of the man that she desperately loved.

Hamila knew his reasons for not taking a wife and although she applauded his consideration for the feelings of others, she knew that he should not deny his desires for a family.

"You will find her when the time is right." Hamila assured him. "There is no doubt in my mind that you will have your wife before the end of this year."

Shaken by hear matter of fact tone, he asked:

"How can you be so sure?"

"Your sister is not the only one in the family who knows things." she replied slyly.

"I have been to every camp of every tribe and then to the city besides, and I have found nothing." He persisted in being negative.

"If you actually opened the perfectly good eyes that Allah has gifted you with and stopped looking for trouble, you might just find her!" snapped Hamila, losing her patience for real this time.

Ardeth knew when he had pushed too far and he patted the nearby gnarled hand in apology.

"Forgive me aunt, I am still tired from my journey and out of sorts. Would you mind if I rested here for a while before I return home?"

"Of course I would not mind my child. Sleep now, things will look better when you awaken."

That said, she stood up and waved him away when she heard him moving to get up and help her.

"No, rest. Before I send Hasima in here with a sleeping potion for you."

"As you wish." He said, knowing from past experience how bitter that sleeping potion was. He watched her move confidently from the tent, a sturdy wooden staff as her eyes. Lying back on the cushions, he closed his eyes and tried to relax his tense muscles.

He awoke to find himself back in his own tent. There was a single lamp next to his bed, chasing away only a few of the shadows that clung to the corners. He reached for a dagger that he carried in his boot, only to find that he was not wearing any footwear. He knew that even with his aunt's potion, there was no way that anyone could have returned him to his camp and put him to bed. He concluded that he was having another waking dream – one where everything was as clear and as real as it would be if he were awake. Dreams of this kind were usually his sister's domain but he had experienced them on occasion. Instead of rolling over and waiting for the dream to end, he decided to see where it would lead. Rising to his feet, he picked up the lamp and proceeded to light all the lamps in the tent.

When there were no more shadows lurking in the corners and the brazier in the middle of the floor was glowing red, he crossed to the door flap and opened it, trying to get a measure of the dream. The sky was black and there was nothing to see except the strangest sandstorm that he had ever seen. It was so violent and thick, he could not see past the ropes of his tent, but the air in front of him was still and silent. Another obvious sign that he was dreaming.

He was lacing the flap shut when he heard a quiet rustle from behind him. Turning quickly, he was ready to take on any number of attackers. Anubis warriors, the walking undead, Bedouin raiders – none of them would have surprised him. The young white woman standing on the other side of the brazier, that surprised him. Her lips curved into a smile and when she spoke her voice was husky and bold.

"Good evening."

Not sure what to do, Ardeth continued to stare at her and she spoke again, amusement tingeing her voice.

"You weren't expecting me here were you? Sorry but I don't have control over the dreams that I'm dragged into. Maybe you were thinking of someone else?"

"I was thinking of no one." He replied. "How did you know that this is a dream?"

"I always know it's a dream." She shrugged. "But as far they go, this is a good one, I can even feel the fire."

Stepping closer to the brazier, she closed her eyes and lifted her face to the warmth that was rising from it. Ardeth took the opportunity to look around and make sure that no one else had been dreamed into existence. Satisfied that he was alone with the strange woman, he stepped boldly up to her intending to take a good look at what he had dreamed up.

When the brazier was the only thing between them, she opened her eyes and looked at him. There was no fear there and no concern to be seen in her eyes, only curiosity.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"What is your name?"

A pensive look flashed across her face and she sighed.

"Why do they all ask me that? I don't know what my name is, you're going to have to pick one or just call me You for as long as I'm here."

He wasn't expecting that answer and his puzzlement must have shown on his face because she giggled and said:

"It really doesn't matter you know, a name is just a word to get someone's attention anyway. But in the interest of not being rude, what can I call you?"

"My name is Ardeth Bay."

"Nice to meet you, Ardeth Bay."

She turned in a slow circle, leisurely taking in the sight of her surroundings. As she turned, Ardeth used the opportunity to get a good look at her. She wasn't very tall, using himself as a measure, he estimated that the top of her head would just top his shoulder. He could blatantly see her skin was pale but he was having trouble pinning down what hair colour she had. When he first seen her, he was sure that her hair was dark brown but now it was a light gold. As she continued her turn, he watched her hair turn to copper which had deepened to auburn by the time she was facing him.

"What sorcery makes your hair change colour like the dew in the morning sun?" He asked.

"Oh, that." She shrugged, "I can't remember what colour it is, so it changes as I go. My eyes do the same thing."

This was delivered with so much nonchalance, he almost missed the flash of pain in her eyes. Then it was gone, chased by another warm smile. He was about to ask her about her self confessed lack of memory, when something else caught his eyes. He had assumed that she was clasping her hands but on closer inspection, he saw that they were tightly bound together with strong rope. Frowning, he motioned to her hands and asked softly:

"Who tied you?"

Lifting her hands, she stared at the rope and then at him.

"I don't know. They're always like this, ever since… well, always."

"Give me your hands."

She raised her eyebrows and said in a patient tone:

"You can't untie them you know. It doesn't hurt so don't worry. Sorry if it bothers you, the best thing you can do is just not to look at them."

Ardeth was thoroughly confused now. No woman that he had ever met would willingly submit to having her hands tied and certainly not being forced to keep them that way. Yet her lack of concern over the matter was making him wonder if he had not dreamed up a mad woman.

"This is not right." He insisted. "You cannot remain bound."

She burst into tinkling laughter and said:

"I'm sorry, I was so glad to actually have someone see me, I forgot to explain things."

"Explain what?"

"There's simply no way that you could untie me since you cannot touch me. If you try, your hands are going to go right through me, like I was mist. You see, I'm dead."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: All movie characters are not mine. And I don't own any of Graham Masterton's works either but I had to borrow the Seven Tests since it fits the world and concept.

A/N: My apologies for the delay on this chapter, for strange reasons, I struggled to write it. Hopefully the length makes up for the delay. Although it may be a stinker, I won't rewrite this chapter because what's done is done but I need to know if it at least makes sense to you, gentle readers. Feedback here would be GREATLY appreciated. And in the meantime, a great big hug to all of you who have reviewed.

Chapter Four

Ardeth wondered if he had lost his sanity somewhere along the way to Hamila's camp. He could not come up with another explanation as to why he would be dreaming about a dead woman that he had never met. Never had he heard of the dead visiting with the living, even in dreams. He began to think that there was something sinister about all of this.

"Would you like me to prove it to you? " asked the nameless woman, taking a step around the brazier.

Acting with his last thought in mind, Ardeth involuntarily took two steps backwards and swore in Arabic. She stopped short and sighed heavily.

"Now I've scared you. Sorry, that wasn't my intention. I'll stay over here so you won't have to come near me."

She stepped away from the brazier and went over to his clothes chest, taking a seat on the elaborately carved lid. Giving him a small wave with her bound hands, she said:

"See, out of your way."

She didn't look away; in fact she took the opportunity to look him up and down. He flushed under her bold scrutiny and had the absurd notion to ask if she liked what she saw. Before he could open his mouth, she met his eyes again. Her lack of shyness was a new thing to him. As leader of his people, there was always a measure of wariness whenever someone spoke to him – even the men. The two of them stared at each other for a long while until he finally broke eye contact and walked over to his bed. Taking a seat, he rubbed between his eyes and then looked at her again. She had not moved and was still watching him.

His short-lived jolt of apprehension had by now given way to curiosity. Her frank appraisal of him proved that she was not shy so he asked boldly.

"If you are so like the mist, how can you sit on the chest? Shouldn't you…"

"Fall through it?" she finished the question. "Well, since I am created along with the dream, it makes sense that I can touch the dream world. The only thing that I can't touch is the dreamer."

He nodded slowly, taking his time over her answer, causing her to snort and say:

"Come on, you've got to want to know more than that? You can ask, I don't mind. It's actually nice to have someone to talk to."

The longing in her voice at the end of her sentence, made him wonder about how long she had been in the next wold. Not wanting to just blurt out his thoughts, he tried a round about way.

"What if the dream world holds more than just you and the dreamer? Can you touch them?"

"I don't know." She sighed. "For whatever reason, no one else gets pulled into the dream along with me."

She sat with a pensive look for a moment and then grinned.

"You can be grateful that you can see me, in the beginning I actually did pass right through everything that I touched, including the floor. I don't know who was more frightened, me or the dreamer."

"How many dreams have you being called into?"

"Hundreds, but there have only been five including you that have actually managed to see me. You must have been thinking really hard about this place since I can feel all the little details like it was real. Where are we anyway?"

"My home. Actually, my tent in the camp I call home"

"Ah, that's why it's so detailed to you, your home is the place that you know the best."

She looked around again and then looked at him with a sad little smile.

"I'm going to be sorry when you wake up, I haven't been in a place this real to me for a long time."

"How long have you been…?" he trailed off into an embarrassed silence.

"Dead?" she supplied in a helpful tone.

He nodded, shamed by the question for reasons that he didn't understand.

She worried at her bottom lip and he absently noted that her teeth were small and white. After a moment, she looked at him and said:

"Y'know, I don't actually know. What year is this?"

"1934"

She thought for a moment more and then said triumphantly.

"Six."

"Six?" he asked in confusion.

"Uh huh, I've been dead for six years, although the last person to see me was four years ago. I actually managed a few words to them before they woke up. Golly, it's been a long while since I spoke."

She absently stuck a finger in her mouth and worried at the nail with her teeth, her brows nearly touching with the ferocity of her frown. She was obviously thinking about the time passed.

Ardeth was shaken to his core as he thought about the enormity of her simple statement.

Six years, six! He thought. How can anyone live without the contact of another human being for six years?

His thoughts continued to churn around until he heard her calling his name.

"Hello, afterlife to Ardeth?"

He pinned her with a glare that had her eyebrows hitting the roof with surprise.

"Why the glare? You asked the question."

"You are honestly trying to tell me that you have been wandering the afterlife for six years?"

"Why would I lie to you? And why are you so annoyed all of a sudden?"

Instead of answering, he stood up and paced with agitation obvious in every step. Three times he faced her as if he was going to speak but resumed pacing. She waited patiently, swinging her feet gently back and forth in time with him.

Eventually he turned and asked angrily:

"How can you be so, so, so?"

"Cheerful?" she said, filling in his blank.

A sigh of annoyance met her answer.

"You say you have not spoken to another soul for four years, and yet you smile and make jokes about your being here?"

"And your point is?"

She glared at him with fire in her eyes and he glared back, unused to being challenged so openly. So they glared at each other until he groaned in defeat and sat back down. When he met her eyes across the tent, she could see the pain and horror in them and understanding glimmered.

"It's okay, being dead isn't all that bad." She tried to reassure him.

"But not to have contact?" he asked, ignoring her flip remark. "Conversation…how can a person exist without those? They are basic human needs."

"Do I still count as human?" she teased. "Being dead and all."

The outraged shock on his face told her that teasing was not the route to be taking with him, he felt too much. As for her, she had locked her feelings away a long time ago. Inwardly she flinched as he spoke – loudly.

"Do not be callous about this, death is no joke!"

A slight maniacal gleam came into her eyes and she grinned at him, causing his earlier apprehension to come flooding back. She leaned forward and he shuddered as he saw her eyes flash from blue to green and then to brown every time she blinked.

"What would you like me to do? Hide in the corner and wail? Rage about your tent and throw things at you like some evil spirit?"

"Have you being gone so long that you feel no pain at the isolation?" he demanded, beginning to think that he was dealing with a madwoman.

His demand was met with silence and he began to get frustrated. In confusion he wondered why he was feeling hurt for her sake and then he thought about the absolute absurdity of arguing with a ghost. Insight came in a flood and with it, relief. Bursting into laughter, he went back to his bed and sat down, leaning back into his cushions.

"I don't know why I am arguing with you, you are not real."

"Not real?" she snapped.

"Not real." He repeated. "You are just a reflection of my feelings and thoughts, although I am not sure why I dreamed up a woman, especially one I do no know."

Her anger and pain were quite visible on her face and for a moment, he felt a twinge of guilt that he was the cause of that.

"How dare you think that I do not exist?" she demanded. "Am I not sitting here in front of you, talking to you?"

"But you cannot tell me anything about yourself, you do not even know what you look like. A person can forget much, but their own name? I think not."

She made a wordless sound of fury and sprang to her feet, starting towards him. After a few steps however, she stopped short and sat back down and balanced her chin in her hands. Looking at him, she spoke with disgust in her voice.

"You should be grateful that I can't touch you because right now I would like to hit you, preferably with something heavy."

He opened his mouth but she cut him off.

"Don't waste your breath speaking to me. I don't want to hear it."

She closed her eyes and sighed heavily.

"Just my luck," she muttered to herself. "First one in four years and he has to be a disbeliever and a jerk to boot."

Despite the low tone, he heard her and wondered for the second time if he was mistaken. His musings were interrupted by a rumbling sound in the distance, the first background noise that he had heard since 'waking' up. Looking around, he realized that the walls of the tent were getting fainter, as if the world was fading away. Looking at her, he realized that she was fading as well. The rumbling got louder and the ground started to shake.

"What is happening?" he called out over the noise.

"You are waking up." She said sourly.

"What should I do?'

"Nothing. You'll just drift into being awake."

The rumbling was louder and shafts of light started to pierce through the walls of the tent. She continued to sit on the chest, fading into the light. For reasons he couldn't explain, it became important to know what would happen to her.

"What happens to you when I wake?" he shouted.

"Now you show concern?" she scoffed. "I go back to the shadows, where hopefully they hold me in their claws when you next sleep, so you don't have to see me again."

The noise was almost unbearable but he continued to shout.

"What claws?"

But her reply was lost as the tent exploded in a sudden silent and blinding flash of light. As his vision cleared, he realized that he was lying on his back, looking up at the roof of Hamila's tent. He was awake.

Hamila watched her nephew sleep, it was not a restful sleep. She was about to lean down and wake him when an energetic flapping outside drew her attention. Lifting the flap, she stepped outside and asked:

"What is that?"

"It is a hawk Hamila." Answered one of the young boys who had watched it land.

"It is on the top of the tent." Said another lad.

"Whose bird is it?" asked a third.

"She is mine."

Ardeth's voice came from behind Hamila and she turned to him, although she could not see him.

"You have slept yet you have not rested." She said as he walked past her.

"As always, you are correct." He said, holding up his wrist to Golden Eyes.

The hawk took to the air and alighted on his wrist, making eager clicking sounds. Ardeth reached into the pouch at his waist and drew out some meat that he had carved earlier. Feeding the bird, he praised her for finding him. Golden Eyes eagerly swallowed the dripping flesh and allowed him to stroke her head and back.

"Where did you find another hawk?" asked Hamila. "I had not heard of the hawk master being at the market."

"He wasn't. My young friend Alex found another bird seller, although I paid nothing for Golden Eyes here."

"No merchant worth their salt gives away their merchandise." Snorted Hamila.

"Let us sit and I will tell you about my friend here." Said Ardeth, noting that the old lady was starting to look tired.

He ushered her back into the tent where she sat in her chair and he on the cushions. Before they could talk, there was a scratch at the flap. It was Fatima, the young daughter of Yusef, commander of the camp. She had come to make tea for Hamila and her guest. Quickly flitting round with the water and the kettle, she was soon serving tea.

"How is your father and your brothers?" asked Ardeth.

"They are fine My Lord. I will tell them that you asked over them."

"Tell them also that I will visit before I leave today."

"Of course My Lord."

She backed out of the tent quickly, her cheeks flaming and heart racing. Hamila heard the hasty footsteps and chuckled.

"What did you do to the poor child, that she must flee from you?"

"I merely smiled." He protested.

"And I would wager that now her face rivals the colour of the sunset." She snorted in amusement.

Ardeth made a sound of agreement and sighed.

"What troubles you so my child?" asked Hamila tenderly. " You are not merely tired from your journey."

Ardeth smiled a wry smile and said:

"I can hide nothing from you even though you no longer see the light. How did you become so wise?"

"It's called age not wisdom and stop avoiding the question."

He chuckled at the sharp tone and reassured his aunt.

"My troubles are that of any man. Do not worry about me, I will be fine."

"You are not just any man."

"So I am reminded everyday." He muttered sourly.

Hamila chose to ignore that last remark and smiled inwardly. So his problem was that of duty versus his personal feelings. It was no light burden and she had watched her own husband struggle with the same thing. The only person that could reconcile his emotions was himself. She changed the subject with her unique tact.

"Tell me how you came to find your new friend there."

Ardeth grinned at the not so subtle change of subject and then obligingly told Hamila the story of how he came to have Golden Eyes. When he had finished his aunt cackled with laughter and said:

"Lucky for you that it is your bird and not a wife that is so willful."

"My friend said very much the same thing." Sighed Ardeth.

"Your friend is clever. Tell me, when are you bringing your foreign friends to meet me?"

"I will fetch them in six days. They are staying for a while so I will send word before I bring them. I should warn you, their son is full of life and rarely sits still."

"Then he's like you were before you got too serious." She said blandly.

He flushed at Hamila's words. He knew that she thought that he took his duties far too seriously, leaving little time for enjoyment.

"You are right once again. I make no time for the things that I enjoy." He sighed.

"Have my ears finally succumbed to old age?" she exclaimed. "Did you just agree that you are no fun?"

"I would not say no fun." He replied huffily. "Perhaps just lacking."

Hamila burst into laughter at that comment and after a moment, he joined her, feeling his indignation fade. As the laughter died down, he sighed and rose to his feet.

"I must take my leave of you Aunt. The sun is past its zenith and I must still greet Yusef before I ride back."

"Ride carefully. And may Allah smile upon you."

"And upon you."

He kissed both her cheeks and gave her a gentle squeeze before leaving the tent. Straightening his robe, he walked quickly to the commander's tent where he scratched at the flap.

"Who is there?" called Fatima.

"It is Ardeth."

"Please wait there, my father is not here. He went to the well and will be back soon."

He grinned at the tinge of fear in her voice. With no male relative in the tent, it would be wrong for him to enter. Her refusal to admit him was a credit to her upbringing but even so, her voice gave away her nervousness at denying her Chief.

"I will meet him there. Give my greetings to your mother."

"I will My Lord."

He lifted Golden Eyes to perch on the tent frame and then walked to the well where he found Yusef hanging halfway down its shaft. Three warriors were holding the rope that was wound around a pulley. Peering down the well he called out.

"What is so terrible that you must flee down the well?"

"Your face my friend." Yusef called back.

Ardeth laughed and called out to the warriors to pull their commander back to ground level. Reaching out he gripped Yusef's hand and helped him over the low wall surrounding the well shaft. After dusting himself down, Yusef clapped his chief on the shoulder and asked:

"What brings you to my camp?"

"I came to see Hamila and to pass word to you from your son in Cairo."

"Is he well?"

"He is and he asked me to tell you that the pots the last European expedition brought back with them were of little consequence."

"Good. I would not like for a valuable artifact to be taken from my lands. Come, the sun is high and my throat is dry. Fatima will have tea waiting."

The two men walked back to Yusef's tent where he invited Ardeth in. Fatima had indeed started the tea and was sitting in the cooking corner, giggling with her elder sister. They shot quick looks at their father's guest and giggled some more. Yusef settled down in his chair and asked:

"Then Farouk is happy there at the museum?"

"Yes. He is a good asset there. Although the curator is one of us, having him there on the expeditions is better. He has steered many a nosey digger away from a protected site."

They continued talking about Farouk and the city while Fatima and her sister brought the tea. After serving, they darted out of the main tent area and into the curtained off sleeping area. Loud giggles followed along with a rapidly whispered conversation. Three heads popped round the curtain and Ardeth saw that it was Yusef's set of triplet sons that were now seven summers. Three pairs of eyes widened and then the heads vanished as quickly as they had popped out and the whispers got faster, punctuated more giggles.

Yusef turned to Ardeth with a slightly pained expression and said:

"My apologies but your presence is testing the good manners of my children. My sons believe that you are invincible and my daughters think you are the bogey man."

"Invincible?" he asked incredulously. "Bogeyman? What stories have you been telling your children?"

"Children talk amongst themselves." Yusef shrugged apologetically. "The boy's I can understand, stories of your talents with the blade have ranged far even before they were born, but as for my daughters, Allah only knows."

"And perhaps one day He'll grace us with an answer but till then, I think it best that I leave for my camp and let your house go back to normal."

"As you wish."

The two men left the tent followed by another volley of giggles. Shaking his head, Ardeth reached up and lifted Golden Eyes from her perch. They made their way to the shaded corral where Ardeth untied Abdi and swung into the saddle.

"Ride safely my friend." Said Yusef warmly.

"May Allah bless you and your family." Intoned Ardeth formally.

"As much as He blesses you my friend." Replied Yusef.

With a sharp word the stallion sprang into motion and Ardeth was gone in a cloud of dust. Golden Eyes had left his wrist when he had mounted and was following high above.

"Six days." Whined Alex. "How am I going to wait six days?"

"Well, you can always help me take these books back in the museum library and catalogue the new shipment that they received." Offered Evelyn.

"Um, you know, Abdul asked me to translate an essay last night. I've got to get to work."

He scampered off in the direction of the study and Evelyn laughed. As much as Alex loved the written word, sorting the library was not one of his favorite tasks. She picked up the pile of books that she had borrowed and set off into the bright afternoon. Reaching the museum she made her way to the library and quickly started putting the volumes back where they belonged. She didn't hear the tall man come up behind her so when he spoke, he had to dodge a book that was swung his way.

"If you didn't want to be disturbed, a sign would have sufficed Mrs. O'Connell" chuckled Farouk.

"Oh Farouk." She gasped. "You scared the life out of me. Did I get you?"

"Thankfully not since I believe the damage to the book would have been greater than my own."

"Right." She scoffed, pretending to mock him.

He was right however, his thickly muscled arms and broad chest would have made short work of the book that was coming out at the seams. Plucking the pile from her hands, he ignored her protests and quickly had the books back where they belonged.

"Thank you Farouk." She said, wiping the dust off her hands. "How are the student expeditions going?"

"They are complaining that they find nothing. This is a good thing." He said sagely.

"Well," she said patting his shoulder. "Keep up the good work."

Leaving him to his own devices, she crossed to the storeroom where the new shipment waited. Grabbing a pen and a stack of cards she soon lost herself in her work, unaware that Farouk was watching from a corner.

Farouk never thought about leaving the woman alone, not since the order to keep an eye on her and her family had come from his Chieftain directly. He wondered if the stories were true, that she had released the creature the first time. Deciding to appease his curiosity, he joined her in the store and was soon laughing at the misadventures of her and her husband.

Ardeth tossed Abdi's brush into the tackle box and ran his hands over the stallion's sleek side. Satisfied that the horse was brushed clean he patted the broad chest and left him to run free in the massive corral with the other horses. Looking around, he decided to check in on the guards and take a moment to visit his 'thinking spot'.

Their camp was built on the hard packed soil at the foot of a large rocky outcropping and through the passage of time, the feet of countless Med-jai sentries had worn a pathway up the rocks to bumpy ledge where they could keep watch over their people. Ardeth had taken his fair share of watches and had discovered another pathway, this one leading to the highest point on the outcropping. He often went there to sit and think. His warriors knew of the spot but none of them went there, respecting their chiefs need for some privacy.

By the time he had chatted to the watchmen and climbed up to his spot, the sun was an orange ball of flame, halfway below the horizon. The sands spread out before him were streaked with gold and red and the sky was deepening into shadows of purple and pink. High in the sky, the evening's first star was winking.

Drawing a deep breath, he settled himself on a convenient rock and leaned back, drinking in the peace of the desert. Reflecting on the last few weeks, he sifted through the important versus the unimportant. Although the commanders of each camp sorted out the issues of their people, there were always matters that were brought before their Chieftain.

A flurry of wings brought him out of reverie and he found Golden Eyes perched on a rock next to him. She cocked her head to one side and stared.

"So you have found me. Although there are not many places where I can hide from one that can fly."

She cocked her head the other way and continued to stare at him, almost expectantly. He thought about the latest petition brought before him and it seemed natural to speak his thoughts aloud.

"Jeffe's family have asked for the hand of Abdallah's eldest daughter but so has Hamir's. Two men asking for the same girl, perhaps my father should have named me Solomon."

Golden Eyes didn't react to his wry comment but she did react to the trail of ants that were running past his feet. Snatching them up, she ignored him.

"Perhaps Jeffe will take a younger bride since he is the younger of the two suitors. Abdallah has more than one daughter of marriageable age and to have two marry at once will lessen the wedding costs."

Pleased that he had come to a settlement that didn't involve the splitting of the girl, he turned his attention to the squabble the Fifth camp had amongst themselves regarding grazing for the horses, still talking to the hawk that was busy demolishing the ants nest.

By the time he had come to the last of the matters, the sun was long gone and the sky like black velvet sprinkled with diamonds. He stood up and the sound woke Golden Eyes who had been sleeping on her rock. He held out his wrist and called her.

"Come up, its time to go home."

The hawk hopped up and he carefully picked his way down the rocks and was soon back in camp. Arriving at his tent, he could see that Shima had been in his tent and lit the brazier and the lamps so that he would not return to a cold and dark tent. Although there were no locks on the tent, there was no need. Everyone in the camps respected the privacy and space of the others, especially his.

Putting Golden Eyes on her perch, he unbuckled his bandoleers and put them in the chest that held his weapons. Stripping off his outer robe and his tunic, he dumped them in the basket that Shima collected weekly. In the day he would have taken a dip in the nearby oasis but since the nights were cool, he settled for a wash from a basin of warm water. Intent on getting a fresh tunic from his clothes chest, he stopped as he reached for the lid – remembering his strange dream. Shaking his head at his own foolishness, he retrieved the tunic and pulled it over his head.

Shima came upon her brother as he was dumping his wash water into the communal tank. She had brought him an evening meal of bread and meat. Although he was perfectly capable of cooking, she preferred to bring him food from her own table. He followed her into his tent and after she set the tray on the table, she kissed both his cheeks and asked:

"Hamila is well?"

"She is well and as fiery as ever. I am beginning to believe the stories that she will outlive us all."

Shima smiled and sat in a nearby chair, waving Ardeth towards the food. As he ate, they spoke of their aunt and of the Seventh Tribe camp. As conversation wound down, Ardeth decided to tell his sister about the dream and ask her advice. When he had finished she looked at him thoughtfully and asked:

"A waking dream is very real, I have them all the time, but spirits? I am not sure, there are accounts of the spirits of loved ones visiting with the living in their dreams. I have never heard of a stranger coming. Are you sure that you do not know her?"

"I have never seen her before. Are you suggesting that she was a real spirit and not a figment of my imagination?"

"I do not know, but there is a way to find out." She said slowly, apprehension on her face.

"How?" asked Ardeth, now intrigued despite his attempts to stay unemotional.

"This is not a subject to be taken lightly." She said urgently. "There is a real danger tampering with the world of dreams and the world of the dead."

"I know the danger but I would also know the truth." He said gravely.

"I wish that you would leave the matter."

"The memory of her has plagued me since I woke and I cannot let this take my attention from the real world. Tell me how to discover the truth so I may be done with the matter."

Shima sighed but complied with his request.

"Legend says that if you ask a dream person a question, their response will determine if they are in your dream or if you are in theirs. The origin of the question was lost hundreds of years ago, but the effectiveness remains."

"And what is the question?"

"What are the Seven Tests of Abrahel?" she said, almost whispering. "If she is a part of you and your dream, she will answer thus: the seven tests of Abrahel are his and his alone. You can then do what you want and she must obey. Any other answer or reaction will mean that she is what she says she is."

"A lost soul."

"Pray that she is brother. A lost soul cannot harm you but a demon can!" she exclaimed in agitation.

"Demon?" he scoffed.

Shima smacked his arm and he realized the extent of her distress. Running a large hand over her head he said gently:

"I will not let her harm me. And if she is a demon then tell me how I can defeat her?"

"Like you would with any other enemy, your blade should be enough. Make sure that it is in the dream with your before you speak with her."

"How do I ensure what is in my dream?" he asked, confused. "A man has no control over that which he dreams."

"There you are mistaken. If you concentrate about what you wish to see in your dreams, then there is a chance that it will be there. It's all about how hard you try."

"Do you think about your dreams?"

Shima blushed and said tartly.

"How do you think I picked my husband?"

He burst out laughing at her confession and then smiled at her fondly.

"Do not fear, I will let nothing harm me. In fact there is a chance that she may not even be there. She said that she would return to the shadows."

"I will hope that you get your answers but I am not hoping too much." She said honestly. "The thought of speaking to the dead scares me."

"Thank you." He said, squeezing her hands in gratitude.

Shima rose to her feet and picked up the tray. Turning to him she bid him good night and left the tent. Although she was sure that nothing would come of the dreams, worry for her brother dogged her steps back home.

Left alone again, Ardeth decided that he would continue reading the book on European culture that Evelyn had loaned to him. Fetching it from the bookcase, he settled back in his chair and began reading. A half-hour later had the letters dancing in front of his tired eyes. Drawing in a deep breath, he stretched and placed the book back in its place. He moved from lamp to lamp, putting out all but the one next to his pallet. Sliding into bed he blew out the flame and settled into the softness of his blankets. Closing his eyes he thought about his scimitar leaning in the corner. Then he thought about the young woman with no name.

He didn't know exactly when the dream started but he found himself sitting in his chair with his sword in his hand. Looking around, he guessed that this dream was very much like the last. Taking a look out of the entrance flap proved his assumptions correct, the sandstorm was still swirling around. Turning around, he first looked to the clothes chest and found her sitting cross-legged on the top. Her appearance had changed again, time she was wearing trousers and a shirt and her hair was a honey blonde. He wasn't close enough to see her eyes. But the expression on her face was enough to tell him that she was still angry.

"Hello again." He said pleasantly.

His greeting was met with stony silence and he realized that she was ignoring him. Leaning back in his chair, he made himself comfortable, although he kept a wary eye on her and a tight grip on his blade. She must have spotted his wariness because she chuckled in her husky voice and said:

"If you're so afraid of me, why did you call me out of the shadows?"

"I am not afraid of you." He replied in a neutral tone, not wanting to spark her temper.

"Then why the sword?"

"I wish to determine the truth

"Truth? I told you the truth and you called me a liar. How can you want the truth when you already have it?" she spoke angrily.

"I want to be sure of what you say."

"And how are you going to do that?"

"What are the Seven Tests of Abrahel?"

"Huh?"

She looked at him like he had sprouted two heads and his grip tightened further on his blade. Speaking a little louder, he repeated the question.

"What are the Seven Tests of Abrahel?"

"I heard you the first time." She snapped. "How the hell should I know? I don't even know anyone named Abrahel, let alone his homework!"

Ardeth wasn't sure if he was saddened or embarrassed. Her answer to the question proved that she was indeed a lost soul and he had called her a liar. The horror of her plight came rushing back to him and he sighed, knowing that the next conversation wasn't going to be easy. Rising, he put his sword back where it belonged and then faced her, she was still looking at him like he was deficient.

"I owe you an apology," he began. "For not believing you."

"Damn skippy you do." She shot back.

"I am sorry."

She regarded him coolly for a moment and then grinned, catching him off guard.

"Okay, fight over. Tell me, what changed your mind? Why did you call me out of the shadows?"

He was taken aback by the swift manner in which she had disposed of her anger, the women that he normally dealt with remained angry for a long time. Sitting down in his chair he decided to make no conclusions or assumptions. She cleared her throat pointedly, waiting for an answer.

"I spoke to my sister about the world of dreams, she told me how to test if you were part of my imagination or not."

"So did I pass or fail?" she asked brightly. "Was my answer what you wanted or not?"

"I am not sure yet." He confessed.

"At least you honest."

"You really are a lost soul aren't you?" he asked in wonder.

"Lost for six years now. There might be a lot of things that have slipped my mind but the date I died isn't something that I cannot forget."

He wanted to ask the next logical question but he couldn't form the words. Instead he changed the direction of the conversation by asking:

"You said that I called you from the shadows, are they what you spoke of when you said you go to the shadows while the dreamer sleeps?"

"When you sleep, I am in a place without light or direction, just a huge dark room with the Doorway at one end."

"Doorway?"

"The way to Oblivion, to where souls go when they are done with this world."

"Why have you not passed on?"

He could have kicked himself as he asked the question. Her face clouded with pain and she looked down at her feet, biting her lip. He was about to apologize when she replied in a halting whisper.

"I cannot pass. The doorway will not open for me. I am forced to remain in the shadows, with the others and their whispering."

He could hear the fear in her voice and her reluctance to speak. Deciding to end their conversation, he said gently.

"We will leave the subject and speak of it no more."

"No!" her voice was emphatic. "You wanted the truth, so ask."

"Yet my curiosity pains you and I do not wish that."

She raised an eyebrow and said tartly:

"What you wish is none of my concern."

Silence hung heavy as she waited for him to answer her. Eventually he spoke.

"Who are the others that whisper? Are they the ones that you said could hold you in their claws?"

"I don't know what they are. They whisper in the darkness in English and in other strange languages. They lure the passing souls into their hands and then they destroy them."

"And what of you?"

"They cannot lure me because I see them. The passing souls do not see them, I try to warn them but they do not see me either, no one sees me."

Her voice faded as her throat closed with emotion and she stared down at her feet, unable to say more.

"I see you."

She looked up at his soft words and he looked into her eyes. They were a brilliant blue, which faded to light green as she remained looking at him. Tears glittered on her lashes and some irrational part of him wanted to wipe them away. Instead he asked her:

"Do the things in the shadows see you? Can they harm you?"

With a miserable sounding sniff, she rubbed at her eyes and nodded.

"They see me. They want me to take their hands, willingly. I think that they cannot have someone unless they come willingly. They always fail, but it doesn't stop them from tormenting me. Sometimes I think it was them that tied me."

"How can they do that if they cannot touch you?"

"They can touch me, briefly. They like to play horrible games with me, like they did a few days before I came to your dream."

"What did they do?"

"They covered my eyes and left me alone in the black. Then they pretended to be a human soul, one that wanted to help me. I was terrified, so much that I actually gave them my hands. I thought that it was over for me but they were ripped away before they could harm me."

Ardeth's mind raced at her words. The torment that she described was the same as the strange dream he had had a few days ago. He looked at his hands and then at hers, wondering if he should tempt fate.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice cutting into his thoughts. "You look like you just saw a ghost, present company excluded of course."

"You had no shoes on." He said slowly, realizing the truth. "You begged them to untie you, to let you go."

"How do you know that?" her voice full of unease.

"Because that was not one of the shadow beasts in the darkness, it was me."

She jumped to her feet, rage flashing in her eyes.

"You lie!"

"You said that to me also." He said calmly, standing as well. "You kicked out at me when I touched your foot."

"Why are you doing this to me?" she screamed. "Take your real form, show yourself to me and tell me why you persist in tormenting me!"

"Give me your hands."

"Never!" she shouted.

"I will not harm you." He kept his voice calm, her fear and rage so great he could almost taste it.

"Your lies and your cruelty have no end." She hissed. "I will give you nothing!"

Seeing that he would not be able to reason with her, he took two steps towards her. With a string of curses, she backed away and raised her hands.

"Keep away from me." Her voice had lost the fear and was filled with anger.

"Please trust me." He urged. "I will not harm you. I only wish to help you."

"No, you wish to trick me." She retorted. "You tempt me with that which I want most!"

They stood in stalemate, neither willing to make the first move. Unwilling to betray her intentions, she maintained eye contact with him, right up until she darted round the brazier, headed for his blade. He got there first. She took several steps back and lifted her chin, glaring at him.

"So now what?"

His answer was to take the blade and toss it under the tent flap, sending it to the sands. Turning back to her, he opened his hands and said:

"Now we end this."

He advanced on her with measured steps. For every one he took she took two backwards, but there was only so much space in the tent and eventually she found herself backed into the corner where she had been sitting. Raising her hands in front of her, she pleaded in a voice devoid of anger and filled with terror.

"Please do not do this."

Ardeth said a small prayer that he was right in his intentions and reached for her. As his hands closed around hers, he sighed in deep relief. Keeping hold with one hand, he drew his dagger and swiftly sliced through the rope that bound her, pulling it from her and tossing it over his shoulder. He could feel the violent tremors that were running through her and he looked into her face. Her cheeks were wet as she looked at her hands and then back up at him. Her eyes widened and she reached out to clutch at his robe in a white-knuckled grip as her strength failed and her knees gave out.

Ardeth grabbed her under the elbows and allowed her momentum to carry both of them to their knees. He sat back and gathered her against him as she broke into harsh and ugly sobs. Stroking her hair he murmured:

"You are safe, I have you."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Not mine, never were, never will be.

A/N: Late, sorry, nothing more to say

Chapter 5

She clung to him with such ferocity that by the time her sobs started to soften, Ardeth was sure that every one of his ribs were broken. Eventually her grip loosened and she lifted her head off of his chest, giving a loud and inelegant sniff. Looking around she discovered that he had moved them to his chair without her noticing. She was sitting sideways in his lap with her arms locked around his middle. Feeling a warm pressure, she noticed that his one hand was cradling the back of her head and the other was stroking up and down her back. Giving another sniff, she looked up at him and found that he was already looking down at her.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"I didn't at first, but when I recognized your story, I took a chance."

"I'm glad that you did." She said softly, burying her face in the hollow of his throat and tightening her grip on him. Her shoulders convulsed a few times as she brought her emotions back under control and her arms snaked up his back so that her hands could clutch at his shoulders.

He let her hold onto him, understanding her need for contact. Resting his chin on the top of her head, he sighed and closed his eyes, feeling tired. He chuckled softly at the irony of that thought and the sound brought her head up again. Letting go of his shoulders, she leaned back a little, using his arm as a support.

"What's funny?"

"I feel like sleeping, even though I am asleep."

"It's because of me, I am keeping your mind awake." She said. "Perhaps I should leave you to rest."

"Where will you go? You cannot walk out the door and into the sandstorm."

"No, but I can sit quietly and you can go to sleep. Then I will go back to the shadows and you will get the rest that you so obviously need."

"I am rested." He protested.

"These marks tell another story." She said, boldly reaching up and touching the shadows under his eyes.

Her fingertips were cool and he closed his eyes as she trailed her fingers over his cheekbone and down to the curve of his jaw. Her other hand joined in on the other side of his face and cupped his face between them. Lightly she ran her thumbs over the marks on his cheeks and he opened his eyes to find her studying him. She didn't flinch as his eyes met hers, instead she asked:

"Did they hurt?"

"Yes." He answered without hesitation and then wondered why he had confessed that to her. The warriors of his people would never confess that their marks of honor were painful when they were done.

Reaching up, she traced the line of characters on his forehead with her index finger. Her touch was light and completely unhesitating. After a few moments she spoke again.

"Were they worth it?"

Her simple question had a wealth of meaning behind it, but before he could reply, she shook her head.

"Just ignore that, my big mouth, always running away with me."

He had already lost interest in her question and instead he was watching the mouth that she was disparaging, thinking that her lips were the nicest shade of pink. Admonishing himself for his inappropriate thoughts, he was dismayed to find that his attention wasn't listening to him and had gone on to wonder if her lips were as soft as they looked. By the time he had reigned in his rampant thoughts he noticed that she had stopped stroking his face and was trying to disentangle herself from him. Grasping her around the waist, he aided her in rising to her feet.

"Thank you." She said, her voice flustered. "Um, I'm sorry about that…feeling thing. Your face I mean, you know, I don't normally go touching strange men…oh this is coming out all wrong."

By now her face rivaled that of Fatima and he was holding his breath trying not to burst out laughing. A snort escaped him and she took it as a good sign, releasing her own mirth.

"That was just so mixed up." She gasped. "But I am sorry, I didn't mean to invade your personal space."

"You didn't invade anything." He assured her. "Your boldness is refreshing after the fear of my own people."

She frowned and asked:

"Your people fear you?"

"Perhaps fear is not the correct word. They…respect me, so much that it can create a barrier between them and myself."

"Why do they…wait, hold that thought." She cut herself off and looked around the tent. Spying a large cushion on his bed, she dragged it over to his chair and plopped down onto it. Looking up at him, she started her question again.

"Who are you to them that they must treat you with such respect?"

"I am the commander of the First Tribe and chieftain of all Twelve Tribes."

"Okay, Tribes of what people?"

"We are the Med-jai." He said simply, as if that explained everything.

"Right." She said slowly. "Are you doing this deliberately or are you naturally secretive?"

He burst into laughter at that one and she waited with a raised eyebrow until he answered her.

"My apologies, but your question is more accurate than you know. We ARE naturally secretive."

She pulled a face and sighed.

"So does that mean you can't talk to me?"

"Given the circumstances, I don't believe it wold be such a terrible thing to tell you the story of my people. The ancestors of my people go right back to the time of Pharaoh Seti the First, where they were the elite bodyguard…"

She settled on the cushion, closed her eyes and allowed that rich voice to wash over her with the history of his people. She took it all in, learning every detail from the pharaoh's betrayal to the adventures of his American friends. By the time he had finished, she had sifted through the words and heard the underlying emotions beneath them.

Ardeth wondered why he had told her all about his people's history and their vows to protect the treasures of Egypt. He concluded that her unique position gave him the chance to talk freely, without fear that she would let the information slip to the wrong kind of people.

After all, he thought to himself. Who exactly could she tell?

Her soft voice bumped him out of his thoughts and he looked down to find her looking at him with compassion.

"I didn't hear you, what did you say?"

"I said you don't like that you have to resort to violence to get the job done. The fact that sometimes you have to take lives troubles you."

Her insight stunned him, and made him wonder.

"Do you see so clearly because you are part of the other world?" he asked cautiously.

"No, your feelings sound in your voice. Even now, your pain shows in your eyes."

She studied his eyes as she spoke, seeing the emotions swimming in them. To her, everything was open and obvious but she had no way of knowing that never in his life had someone managed to read him so openly, so honestly.

Ardeth felt like his soul had been laid bare before her clear gaze and conflicting emotions ran through him. He was annoyed that he could not conceal his emotions from her like he could hide them from everyone else and yet on the other hand, there was a sense of relief that there was no reason to maintain the cool mask that he presented to the outside world.

"I'm sorry." She apologized, a faint blush staining her cheeks. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"You haven't…" he trailed off, realizing that she had indeed made him feel uncomfortable.

A wry smile tilted her lips and she said:

"Yes I have."

"I am not used to anyone seeing through me so easily." He admitted ruefully. "It is a new experience for me."

"I would not want to cause you pain." She spoke slowly. "Perhaps it would be better if you were to bar me from your dreams after you wake."

"No!"

Ardeth wasn't sure who was more startled by his loud reaction, but he knew that he didn't want her to go away. He reached out for her hand and stopped when she flinched. She bit her bottom lip and then reached out to meet his hand halfway. Twining his fingers around hers, he spoke.

"Not even my family have managed to see so deep into me, it is a unique feeling and I am going to admit selfishness when I say that I would like to explore it further. That is, if you are willing to keep me company."

"Of course!" she blurted out. "I actually thought that you were going to send me away because of it, I mean, no one actually wants someone prying into their feelings which is actually fair since everyone has the right to privacy. And have you ever noticed that when you want privacy it'll be the day when everyone wants a piece of you, I think that's Murphy's law. Oh wait, you probably don't know Murphy, maybe you guys call him Suliman or something, that would be kinda funny, have you ever thought about…"

She trailed off as she realized that Ardeth was staring at her.

"Too fast huh?" she asked, realizing what she had done.

"Just a little." He said dryly.

"I guess I wanted to make up for lost time."

"Somehow I think that six years will never fit into one sentence, no matter how fast you say it."

She pulled a face at him and then grinned.

"Guess you're right."

She pulled at the tassel on the cushion and looked up to ask:

"Who made your cushions and things? I honestly don't see you sitting around with a needle and thread. Not that something wrong with you or guys that can sew, it's just that they rarely do. Most guys know how to sew on a button and that's about it. I know I can't sew worth anything…"

Trailing off into silence she realized that she was running at the mouth again and then her own words caught up with her and she gasped.

"I had a memory!"

"About not being able to sew." He confirmed. "Didn't you remember that?"

"I told you, I can't really remember anything about me."

"Perhaps you are just out of practice."

"Huh?"

She frowned in confusion and then her face fell as she heard the familiar rumble that signaled the end of the dream. She knew that there wasn't a guarantee that he would be able to bring her back into his next dream and this might be the last time that she could touch another soul. Turning to him, she was about to ask if he would hold her hand but found that he was already reaching for her. Twining his fingers around hers, he spoke earnestly.

"Your fears are unfounded, I will call you into my dreams again, I promise."

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"You are not the only one who can read people's emotions in their eyes."

By now, the light was filling the tent and he could feel her hand fading within his own. He tightened his grip but it was pointless as the light blinded him and he closed them involuntarily. When he opened them again, he was back in the waking world.

Ardeth didn't get a chance to talk with Shima about his dream until late that afternoon as his morning had been full with meetings with the representatives from various families seeking counsel and rulings on varied matters. Thankfully, he had already decided on most of them the previous evening and the others were easily solved. The rest of his day was taken up with teaching a class to a group of older boys. Although young and arrogant, they showed promise and had tested his mettle a few times. By the time Shima brought his dinner to his tent, he had bathed and was engrossed in reading the book on European customs.

"I don't understand your fascination with the western world my brother." She said as she set the tray on the table.

"The western world has been in Egypt for many years now. To ignore them would be to give them an advantage. As Evelyn would say: better the devil you know."

She grinned and said:

"I am looking forward to meeting this Evelyn."

"And she is looking forward to meeting all of my people, although she does not know that I have siblings."

"Ardeth, are you ashamed of me?" she teased.

"Well…" he said slyly.

"Beast!" she said, stomping towards the tent flaps. "See when you next get goat soup."

He caught her before she could exit and hugged her into silence. Smiling at him, she sat in her usual chair as he lifted the lid on the tray. It had long been their routine for her to keep him company while he ate. After a moment, Shima asked timidly:

"You said siblings, as if Tamad was still here. Do you think of him often?"

Ardeth paused in mid bite and Shima bit her lip, fearing that she had opened old wounds. Her fears were founded when he put down him fork and looked at her. His pain was obvious even to her. Wishing she could take back her words, she reached out and touched his hand.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think."

"It's okay Shima." He said hoarsely. "Yes, I think of him often. I think of the trouble that the three of us would get into and I think of how things would have been, had he lived and taken his rightful place as chieftain of the Twelve tribes."

"I did not mean to hurt you." She whispered. "I…I miss him also."

He stared at the plate for a moment and then stood up. Turning to his sister, he spoke gently.

"We will always miss him."

Shima grabbed her brother and hugged him tightly. For a moment, they stood locked in a grief that would never lessen. Then she stood back and said:

"The day has been trying on both of us, perhaps it is best that I leave you to your rest. I will see you in the morning."

"Good night Shima, pleasant dreams."

"And for you."

She was halfway out the tent when she suddenly turned back and asked:

"Your dream, did you get an answer?"

"I did. You were right about the question and you can set your fears aside."

"Then she was just part of your dream?"

"No, she is a lost soul, however, she is pleasant company."

Shima frowned and said:

"Be careful my brother, I would not want you to become lost with her."

"I will be careful. Goodnight Shima."

"Goodnight Ardeth."

Shima left the tent and he tied the flaps behind her. It took him but a few moments to blow out the lamps and settle himself into his bed. Staring at the roof of the tent, he sighed as memories flooded into his mind. With a frustrated groan, he rolled over and tried to picture the face of the woman with no name, but her image wouldn't stay with him. As he passed over into the realm of sleep, his memories followed him.

"_Tamad, you have to get up, you have to!" Ardeth shook his brother's slim shoulders and watched as his head lolled back. There was no movement in the slender ribcage and no beating pulse at his throat. With an anguished cry, Ardeth pulled the dead boy to his chest and rocked back and forth, keening out his grief in an unholy wail. His sister and his father watched helplessly, as they tended to the rest of the dying._

Ardeth jerked awake with a thin cry of terror and realized that someone was stroking his forehead and whispering to him. Opening his eyes he saw that his nameless muse was cradling his head in her lap and was combing his sweat soaked hair off of his face with her fingers. She continued to whisper her wordless tune for a moment and then bent closer to his ear.

"Shhh, it was a nightmare. You are safe, I have you."

Before he could speak, she lightly ran her fingertips over his eye, closing them. Stroking his head one more, she hummed a quiet tune that lulled him back to sleep.


End file.
